1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved flexible coupling assembly and more particularly to an improved flexible coupling assembly used in an automatic clothes washing machine.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Automatic clothes washing machines customarily proceed through a sequence of operations or cycles in order to wash, rinse and spin dry clothes. The sequence ordinarily includes a washing operation and a liquid extraction operation. These machines have a stationary tub, a clothes retaining basket, and a vertical axis vaned agitator. During the washing operation the agitator oscillates back and forth while the clothes retaining basket is prevented from movement. This action provides for turning over the clothes in the washing liquid for effecting the wash operation. In the liquid extraction operation the basket and agitator are rotated or spun in unison at high speed to extract liquid from the clothes by centrifugal force. During the washing operation a pump constantly recirculates the washing liquid through a filter to remove lint and other contaminants. During the liquid extraction operation the pump operates to remove the washing liquid from the machine.
It is desirable that all of the aforementioned driven operations be accomplished by a single motor in the machine. To this end there is a transmission for providing oscillation of the agitator during the washing operation and rotation of the basket and agitator during the liquid extraction operation. Usually the transmission is driven by an endless belt which in turn is driven by a reversible electric motor through a clutch mechanism. The connection or coupling between the motor and the pump must be flexible to accommodate the various positions that the motor may assume relative to the pump both axially and laterally. Flexible couplings were provided heretofore, however, they were more expensive to manufacture as they had additional component parts and more difficult to assemble thus increasing the labor costs.
By my invention I have improved the prior art flexible coupling assembly in that I have provided a less expensive coupling assembly with fewer component parts and one that is more easily assembled yet accomplishes the same desirable results.